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Molecular and serological data suggest that noroviruses (NoVs) might be transmitted between humans and domestic carnivores. In this study we screened an age-stratified collection of canine sera (n = 516) by using an ELISA assay based on virus-like particles (VLPs) of human NoVs GII.4 and GIV.1 and carnivore NoVs GIV.2 and GVI.2. Antibodies against GII.4 and GIV.1 human NoVs and GIV.2 and GVI.2 NoVs from carnivores were identified in dog sera (13.0%, 67/516) suggesting their exposure to homologous and heterologous NoVs. Analysis of the trends of age-class prevalence showed a gradual increase in the positive rate from 9.0% and 7.0%, in young dogs <1 year of age to 15.0% in dogs older than 12 years, for GII.4 and GVI.2 NoVs, respectively. A significant difference in the IgG distribution by age classes was observed for GIV.1 NoVs, with the highest rate of antibodies (7.0%) in the age group <1 year and the lowest (1.0%) in the age-classes 7–9 (P = 0.049). High correlation between the reactivity to GII.4 and GVI.2 NoVs was observed, likely due to conserved epitopes in the capsid structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2003, a novel calicivirus, the vesivirus (VeV) strain 2117, was identified incidentally as a contaminant in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell cultures by a German pharmaceutical company. Similar contaminations have been documented in three additional episodes, in bio-reactors used for production of recombinant drugs. More, recently 2117-like VeVs have also been identified at high prevalence in the stools from asymptomatic kennel dogs and only sporadically in diarrhoeic and healthy household dogs. In this study, antibodies for 2117-like viruses were detected in 21.5% of sera from household dogs, indicating that they are common viruses in the canine host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kobuviruses have been identified in the enteric tract of several mammalian species but their role as enteric pathogens is still not defined. In this study, feline kobuviruses were found in 13.5% of cats with diarrhoea, but not in asymptomatic animals. In the full-length genome, one such strains, TE/52/13/ITA, displayed the highest nucleotide identity (96.0%) to the prototype strain FK-13. These results provide firm evidence that kobuviruses are common constituents of feline enteric viroma and that they are not geographically restricted to the Asian continent, where they were first signalled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Canine kobuviruses (CaKVs) are newly recognized picornaviruses recently detected in dogs in the US. By molecular analysis of the whole genome, CaKV that appeared genetically closest to the murine kobuvirus (MuKV) and to the human Aichi virus (AiV), may be classified in the Kobuvirus genus as new genotype (CaKV type 1) within the species Aichivirus A. To date, there are no information on the epidemiology of these novel viruses in other continents. In this study, by screening a collection of 256 dog fecal samples either from diarrhoeic or asymptomatic animals, CaKV was identified in six specimens with an overall prevalence of 2.34% (6/256). All the positive dogs presented diarrhea and were found to be infected by CaKV alone or in mixed infections with canine coronavirus (CCoV) and/or canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2). By molecular analysis of the partial 3D gene, all the strains detected displayed a close relatedness with the CaKVs recently identified in the US. This study provides evidence that CaKVs circulate in diarrhoeic dogs in Italy and are not geographically restricted to the North American continent, where they were first signaled. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Neboviruses are bovine enteric caliciviruses (genus Nebovirus) associated with enteric diseases in calves. By screening the stools of calves collected from Italian herds using primers targeted to a conserved stretch in calicivirus RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp), nebovirus RNA was detected in calves with enteritis (13.1%) but not in overtly health animals. Upon sequence analysis of the RdRp fragment, the Italian viruses formed a tightly conserved group and resembled closely the nebovirus prototype Nebraska/80/US. The sequence of a 2.2kb ORF1 fragment, spanning the 3′ end of the RdRp and the full-length capsid coding region, of two nebovirus strains was determined, revealing marked genetic heterogeneity in the capsid protein, as the two Italian viruses were classified into two distinct capsid lineages, and suggesting a recombination event downstream the highly conserved shell (S) domain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: St-Valerien-like viruses are newly recognized porcine caliciviruses recently detected in Canadian swine farms. These viruses that appeared genetically closest to the Tulane non-human primate virus and noroviruses (NoVs), may represent members of a potential new genera within the Caliciviridae family. To date, there are no information on the epidemiology of these novel caliciviruses in other continents. In this study, 264 faecal samples collected from asymptomatic adult pigs were screened by RT-PCR using St-Valerien-like specific primers. Porcine caliciviruses, resembling St-Valerien-like viruses were identified in five animals. The 3′ end of the genome of one of these strains, 25A/ITA, was determined, revealing close genetic relatedness to the newly discovered St-Valerien-like caliciviruses, identified in swine in Canada. The findings of this investigation demonstrate that St-Valerien-like viruses are not geographically restricted, since they were identified outside the North American continent where there were first signalled. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To expand the epidemiological understanding of feline calicivirus (FCV) in dogs, genotypic and phenotypic characterizations of a FCV strain isolated from a puppy showing enteritis were performed. After isolation in cell culture, the novel isolate was analysed by RT-PCR and the amplicons obtained were sequenced. In order to characterize the growth properties of the isolate, the size of the plaques, the temperature of inactivation and the kinetics of growth were evaluated. Moreover, the novel strain was used to perform a serological study on 86 canine serum samples and 81 feline sera by virus-neutralization assay. The comparative analysis of nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the isolate, named FCV-Te/10/07, revealed the highest identity to strain FCV-F65. The growth kinetic revealed that strain Te/10/07 grew more rapidly than F9 strain. By virus-neutralization assay, dogs from the same region of the isolate showed antibodies against the FCV-F9 vaccinal strain in 63.9% (55/86) of sera, while antibodies against the Te/10/07 were found in seven sera (8.13%). In cats neutralizing antibodies against Te/10/07 strain were recovered in 50.62% (41/81) of samples tested, even if 38 sera were positives for F9 strain with similar titres or higher. In three cats neutralization to Te/10/07 alone was seen. Our results confirmed the interspecific circulation of FCV strains among different animal species, but new investigations are needed to establish whether FCV is pathogenic in the dog and the role of interspecies circulation in pathogen spreading. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Virus-like particles (VLPs) were produced in insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus containing the capsid gene of feline calicivirus strain F9 (FCV-F9). The FCV VLPs were morphologically and antigenically similar to the native virus and contained a single capsid protein with a molecular weight of approximately 60kDa that reacted with FCV antiserum. Moreover, following immunization of rabbits, VLPs were able to elicit neutralizing antibodies against several FCV strains isolated from clinical samples. Our preliminary results showed that FCV-VLP could be considered a candidate vaccine against FCV infections. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • A novel protoparvovirus (bufavirus) was identified in cats. • The feline bufavirus was more common in respiratory samples of juvenile cats. • The feline bufavirus was highly similar to a canine bufavirus. • The carnivore bufaviruses were phylogenetically related to primate bufaviruses. • Carnivore bufaviruses are genetically distinct from feline/canine protoparvovirus-1. Abstract A novel protoparvovirus species was identified in domestic cats. The virus was distantly related to the well-known feline (feline panleukopenia virus) and canine (canine parvovirus type 2) parvoviruses, sharing low nucleotide identities in the capsid protein 2 (less than 43%). The virus was genetically similar (100% at the nucleotide level) to a newly identified canine protoparvovirus, genetically related to human bufaviruses. The feline bufavirus appeared as a common element of the feline virome, especially in juvenile cats, with an overall prevalence of 9.2%. The virus was more common in respiratory samples (9.5%–12.2%) than in enteric samples of cats (2.2%). The role of bufaviruses in the etiology of feline respiratory disease complex, either as a primary or a secondary agents, should be defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noroviruses are RNA viruses that belong to the Genus Norovirus , Family Caliciviridae , and infect human beings and several animal species, including cattle. Bovine norovirus infections have been detected in cattle of a range of different ages throughout the world. Currently there is no suitable cell culture system for these viruses and information on their pathogenesis is limited. Molecular and serological tests have been developed, but are complicated by the high genetic and antigenic diversity of bovine noroviruses. Bovine noroviruses can be detected frequently in faecal samples of diarrhoeic calves, either alone or in association with other common enteric pathogens, suggesting a role for these viruses in the aetiology of calf enteritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, fecal specimens (n = 260) collected from Italian healthy pigs aged between 6 and 10 months were screened by RT-PCR using generic kobuvirus primers. Porcine kobuviruses (PKVs) were detected in 3.85% of the samples tested. Based on the analysis of the partial 3D gene, the Italian sequences identified here were more closely related to PKVs previously identified in Japan, Thailand, Korea, China and Brazil than to the European PKVs recently detected in Hungary and in the Netherlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hepatitis B virus (HBV) analogue, DCH, was discovered in 2018 in domestic cats. • It is unclear if DCH may cause liver damage and chronic infections. • Upon re-testing of DCH-positive animals, two cats were persistently viremic. • A 9-year-old male cat was viremic from February 2019 through January 2020. • This pattern of infection mirrors what described with HBV in human patients. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of liver disease in humans including chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH), a novel HBV-like hepadnavirus, was identified in domestic cats in 2018. From 6.5 %–10.8 % of pet cats are viremic for DCH and altered serological markers suggestive of liver damage have been identified in 50 % of DCH-infected cats. DCH DNA has been detected in association with characteristic lesions of chronic hepatitis and with hepatocellular carcinoma in cats, suggesting a possible association. In this study longitudinal molecular screening of cats infected with DCH was performed to determine if DCH can cause chronic infections in cats. Upon re-testing of sera from five DCH-positive animals, 2–10 months after the initial diagnosis, three cats tested negative for DCH on two consecutive occasions using quantitative PCR. Two other cats remained DCH-positive, including an 8-month-old female cat re-tested four months after the initial positive result, and a 9-year-old male cat, which tested positive for DCH on six occasions over an 11-month period. The latter had a history of chronic hepatopathy with jaundice, lethargy and elevated serum alanine transaminase levels (ALT). During the period of observation, DCH titers ranged between 1.64 × 105 and 2.09 × 106 DNA copies/mL and ALT was persistently elevated, suggesting chronic infection. DCH DNA was not detected in oral, conjunctival, preputial and rectal swabs from the two animals collected at several time points. Long-term (chronic) infection would be consistent with the relatively high number of viremic cats identified in epidemiological investigations, with the possible association of DCH with chronic hepatic pathologies and with what described with HBV in human patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Canine chaphamaparvovirus (CaChPV) is a novel parvovirus recently discovered in dogs; • Herein, stool samples from dogs with or without enteric signs were screened for CaChPV; • CaChPV DNA was found either in diarrhoeic (1.9 %) or asymptomatic (1.6 %) dogs; • The nearly complete genome sequences were determined for two strains; • The Italian CaChPV strains tightly clustered with the American reference viruses. Canine chaphamaparvovirus (CaChPV) is a newly recognised parvovirus discovered by metagenomic analysis during an outbreak of diarrhoea in dogs in Colorado, USA, in 2017 and more recently detected in diarrhoeic dogs in China. Whether the virus plays a role as canine pathogen and whether it is distributed elsewhere, in other geographical areas, is not known. We performed a case-control study to investigate the possible association of CaChPV with enteritis in dogs. CaChPV DNA was detected both in the stools of diarrhoeic dogs (1.9 %, 3/155) and of healthy animals (1.6 %, 2/120). All the CaChPV-infected dogs with diarrhea were mixed infected with other enteric viruses such as canine parvovirus (formerly CPV-2), canine bufavirus (CBuV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV), whilst none of the asymptomatic CaChPV positive animals resulted co-infected. The nearly full-length genome and the partial capsid protein (VP) gene of three canine strains, Te/36OVUD/19/ITA, Te/37OVUD/19/ITA and Te/70OVUD/19/ITA, were reconstructed. Upon phylogenetic analyses based on the NS1 and VP aa sequences, the Italian CaChPV strains tightly clustered with the American reference viruses. Distinctive residues could be mapped to the deduced variable regions of the VP of canine and feline chaphamaparvoviruses, considered as important markers of host range and pathogenicity for parvoviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]